Following the Department of Justice’s charge against two Chinese nationals, including a University of Michigan research fellow, for smuggling a potentially dangerous agroterrorism fungus into the U.S., national security experts have warned that the Trump administration must continue to take action to prevent American colleges and companies from effectively ‘educating and arming’ China, their chief adversary. The case highlights the ongoing concerns over the use of U.S. institutions for espionage and sabotage by the Chinese government.
Christian Whiton, a former senior foreign policy advisor, told Fox News Digital that the U.S. must reconsider its approach to allowing direct flights from China and the unrestricted access to sensitive research areas in U.S. universities. He described the current state of affairs as a ‘pre-COVID mindset’ and criticized the government for failing to address the threat posed by Chinese infiltration of U.S. technical institutions, which he argues have been a target since at least the 1990s. Whiton noted that the H1-B visa program, which has been used to recruit highly skilled foreign workers, has become a potential vulnerability, with about a quarter of the visas awarded to Chinese nationals who then end up working in high-tech companies.
Michelle Steel, a former Rep. and California Republican, expressed similar concerns, stating that Chinese students who study in the U.S. do not return with a positive view of the country but instead use the knowledge gained to challenge American interests. She pointed to the case of Dr. Charles Lieber, a former Harvard professor who was convicted in 2023 for hiding his connections to China’s Thousand Talents Program. She highlighted the financial incentives that drive U.S. universities to attract international students, emphasizing that institutions prioritize economic gain over national security. Steel also cited the $220 million payment made by the Chinese government to the University of California at Berkeley to build a joint institute, which the university failed to disclose under the Higher Education Act. She called for legislation to lower the reporting threshold for such funding to $50,000 to ensure transparency and accountability.
The House Select Committee on the CCP has also raised concerns about the relationship between Stanford University and Peking University, which is linked to the Chinese military and its nuclear program. Rep. John Moolenaar, the current chair of the committee, has written a letter to Stanford expressing worries over the admission of large numbers of Chinese nationals into advanced STEM programs at the expense of qualified American students.
These experts argue that a re-evaluation of U.S. higher education policies is necessary to address the national security risks posed by the infiltration of Chinese nationals into American institutions. The case underscores the need for stricter vetting processes and a more proactive approach to safeguarding U.S. interests against potential threats from foreign adversaries.